The present invention relates to a air conditioner for exchanging heat from a refrigerant to the outside so as to adjust at least one of room temperature and humidity to desired temperature or humidity and having a function for controlling an air supplying means that supplies conditioned air to the room so as to vary the air supplying amount in multiple levels corresponding to a reference air amount.
A conventional air conditioner exchanges heat from a refrigerant to the outside and operates in various modes such as a heating mode, a cooling mode, a drying mode, and an automatic operating mode. In the automatic operating mode, the air conditioner compares a designated temperature and the room temperature and automatically selects the heating mode or the cooling mode corresponding to the desired result. The user can select a desired mode with a remote controller that is an accessory of the air conditioner so as to air condition the room.
One type of air conditioner has a special cooling function for supplying air while varying the air supplying amount as with natural air. In this function, a predetermined fluctuation width (variation of the change of air flow volume) is designated regardless of the predetermined reference air amount so as to vary the air amount in an irregular manner at different time periods. When the air amount is controlled in such a manner, the user in the room does not expect the air amount change. Thus, since he can unexpectedly feel coolness, the degree of comfort in the room improves.
In other words, although this type of operation takes into account a psychological factor of the user, the coolness comfort that the user feels is improved in comparison with the conventional temperature control method with equal air volume amount. Since the degree of coolness comfort is improved, the designated temperature can be increased as compared to the conventional cooling method. Thus, this type of operation contributes to energy saving.
However, in such a type of operation, the fluctuation of the volume of air supplied does not correspond to the predetermined reference air amount. Thus, the ratio of the fluctuation width to the predetermined reference air amount varies corresponding to a change of the predetermined reference air amount. In other words, when the predetermined reference amount is small (weak), the ratio of the fluctuation width thereto is large. Thus, the user can satisfactorily feel the fluctuation of the air supplying amount. In contrast, when the reference air amount is large (strong), since the ratio of fluctuation width thereto becomes small, the user cannot satisfactorily feel the fluctuation.
To solve this problem, the ratio in the case that the reference air amount is maximum may be designated to have a fluctuation width by an amount such that the user can satisfactorily feel the fluctuation function. However, when the reference air amount is small, the ratio of the fluctuation width thereto becomes too large, resulting in increasing noise due to the increased air volume. Thus, the user may feel uncomfortable.
To satisfactorily employ the fluctuation function, the environment in which the air conditioner is used (the efficiency of the air flow and the reference air amount that is often used depends on the area of the room, the layout of furniture, and so forth) should be considered. Thus, when only the ratio of the fluctuation to the reference air amount is considered, the fluctuation function may not be satisfactorily employed.